Comics for the week of November 18, 2009

Irredeemable #8
Kookaburra K #1
Spider-Woman #3
Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #5
Wolverine: Origins #42
Victorian Undead #1
Mighty Avengers #31
Haunt #2

Comics for the week of November 4, 2009

Sweet Tooth #3
Detective Comics #858
Madame Xanadu #16
Psylock #1
Batman #692
Cinderella #1
Wonder Woman #37
Guardians of the Galaxy #19
Black Widow: Deadly Origin #1

Review - Gregory

Gregory
by Mark Hempel
Piranha Press

Twenty years ago a silly little graphic novel came out of the Piranha Press imprint from DC. Called Gregory, I found the story very funny and sometimes deeply poignant. Created by Marc Hempel, it's the story of Gregory. A big headed kid in a straitjacket who lives in an asylum with his friend, a talking rat named Herman Vermen. Gregory usually talks in monosyllabic grunts and enjoys running around, but the action is what happens around him. Sometimes a therapy cat is brought in to help. Other times he escapes from his straitjacket and flails his arms around. But Gregory just exists happily in his own little cell.

When this book came out in 1989, I passed it around to all my friends. They all fell in love with Gregory. Unfortunately, since I added this book to the library collection in 2004, it has only checked out 4 times. I think this book is lost in the shuffle of the graphic novel shelf. It's not thick and it doesn't have a steroid pumped superhero on the cover. Perhaps the Library of Congress is deterring people from borrowing this book with the very offputting subject heading "Institutional care -- Comic books, strips, etc." Whatever the reason, I do try and suggest this book whenever a somewhat curious person comes in looking for a graphic novel.

Gregory is labeled "for mature readers" I suspect primarily for the language. If our library had an older teen and younger teen areas, it would definitely go into the former. But it's audience is definitely for teens and young adults. Gregory is able to be content within himself and his environment (a cell with a drain, window, door and light bulb) without any need to be more that what he is. People come and go, trying to help, hurt, fix or change Gregory in some way, but he stays true to himself.

Comics for the week of October 28, 2009

Daredevil #501
Fables #89
FVZA #1
Teen Titans #76
Fantastic Four #572
Jack of Fables #39
Justice League of America #38
Queen Sonja #1
Nova #30
Wolverine Art Appreciation
Pilot Season: Declassified

Review - Castle Waiting

Castle Waiting
by Linda Medley
Fantagraphics Books

Fantasy stories usually start with a humble character who through circumstances has to go through a quest and save the entire realm from Evil. Castle Waiting isn't like that. With the first issues of the comic self published, it was recognized as being outstanding and was picked up Fantagraphics Books. With 400+ pages, this hardcover graphic novel is wonderful and would appeal to fans of Bill Willingham's Fables or the books by Gregory Maguire.

The story starts with a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story, the castle after the princess is awoken after 100 years becomes Castle Waiting. This is where anyone can find sanctuary and protection. A pregnant Lady Jain is travelling to the castle and meets many interesting characters along the way to her destination. Once at the castle, its residents tell their stories with extended flashback sequences. Like Sister Peaceful, who tells Lady Jain her whole story of how she became a member of a society of bearded nuns. This story in flashback takes up about the entire second half the book, which is ok since it's done so well.

The story is told in little black and white panels, with thick dark lines almost like a woodcut print. The characters are expressive and distinctive. And some of the architectural drawings almost remind me if the drawings in the David Macaulay books. Medley populates her fantasy universe with characters which have unique personalities. Each have their quirks, but all of them stay true to themselves as the story progresses.

This book is a good fit in our library since it covers many areas. It makes a great fantasy story tweens and teens since the story is mostly character driven. There isn't even a single sword fight in this book. Like many fairy tale retelling, there elements of the original stories with a modern twist. And unlike Fables, it doesn't have the mature situations that might concern some parents.

Comics for the week of October 21, 2009

Chew #5
Wolverine: Origins #41
Dominic Fortune #3
Spider-Woman #2
Dark Wolverine #79
Power Girl #6
Mighty Avengers #30

Review - Jenny Finn: Doom Messiah

Jenny Finn: Doom Messiah

Written by Mike Mignola and Troy Nixey
Art by Troy Nixey and Farel Dalrymple
Publish By Boom! Studios

The story of Jenny Finn starts out by introducing the reader to Joe, a confident strong man who is new to the seaside town set in Victorian times. Within the first couple pages, fish whisper the word "doom" to no one in particular. A prostitutes client morphs into a twisted tangle of tentacles. And Jenny Finn wanders around the bad end of town and though Joe tries to help her, she refuses saying that she is wicked and belongs there. As the story progresses, Joe tries to gain the attention of Jenny Finn and Jenny Finn grows fond of Joe and tries to protect him from the strange things happening in the town.

Mike Mignola is a master in the comic world. His artwork and storytelling are unique. And with this story which would fit well in a collection of Lovecraft stories, Jenny Finn: Doom Messiah pulls on the same tools used in the good Cthulhu tales. Joe blunders into deep secrets that people shouldn't try to uncover, but he follows the path to the end. The story alludes to inconceivable powers that should not manifest on Earth. And unlike Lovecrafts stories, there is a little bit of steampunk elements added into the story.

The first three chapters art was done by Troy Nixley while Farl Dalrymple did the art for the fourth chapter. The entire book is black and white, which almost makes it seem like an illustrated story from an old newspaper. Nixley's art is more flowing that Dalrymple, but the change is style, which are similar, didn't detract from the story as a whole. I found the characters faces were the most interesting. The expression were often twisted and contorted to a point where the normal people often looked as grotesque as the monsters. Perfect for a story like this one.

This book appeared on one of our monthly selection lists and I picked up this book for the library based on Mike Mignola being the writer. I'm glad I did. Though the story would be considered PG-13 in the movie world, it is shelved in the Teen Graphic Novel area. And though I have, this one seems to be the least popular circulating only 3 times. Perhaps to promote circulation, I'll ask to create a Lovecraft display just prior to Halloween and more people will find and appreciate this book.

Comics for the week of October 14, 2009

Batman #691
Web of Spider-Man #1
Uncanny X-Men #516
The Marvels Project #3
Liberty Comics #2
Deadppol #900
Anna Mercury 2 #2
Batgirl #3

Review - Good-Bye

Review - Good-Bye

by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
Drawn and Quarterly

Not all manga is about magical schoolgirls, hyperactive ninja orphans, or half human/half dog demons. An example of a work that doesn't fit the mold is a book called Good-Bye by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. Originally published between 1971 and 1972, this book contains 9 stories that are set between the end of World War II and then. Though the stories are not interrelated, they are mostly about the bottom of society. Tatsumi tells small tales about prostitutes, sexually repressed loners, closeted cross dressers and other members of society many would consider fringe elements.

Tatsumi doesn't really put any moral values on his sad characters. Instead, he relates their tale without any comment, though we know that the characters often feel shame themselves. The tales end ambiguously with no clear resolution. Unlike morality tales where the bad guy has to get it in the end, the stories in Good-Bye, though often depicting reprehensible people, conclude before any clear resolution.

I guess Japan in the early seventies an interesting place. While World War II was still in peoples memory, it was far enough away in the past where young people didn't have direct memory of the war. Also, the county was about to boom economically. So these stories by Tatsumi are almost a warning not to fall into a decadent lifestyle or loose. In an interview with Tatsumi in the back of this volume, he describes his condition at the time. "As an alienated manga artist working away in a cramped room, I couldn't help but feel disconsolate."

This book is something libraries should carry, but not in the teen section. The subjects are certainly something young teens should be wary of reading. But there are many older teens and adults I've meet here in the library who are really into Japanese history and culture. These people usually have read most of the manga in the library, but haven't seen works like this before.

Comics for the week of October 7, 2009

Batman and Robin  #5
Deadpool #16
Astonishing X-Men #31
Wonder Woman #36
New Mutants #5
Planetary #27
Irredeemable #7
G.I. Joe: Cobra Special #1
Sweet Tooth #2
Spin Angels #2
Marvel Divas #3
Haunt #1

Review - Marvel Divas

Review - Marvel Divas
Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Art by Tonci Zonjic
Marvel Comics

Mini-series are very interesting to me. In some ways, I expect them to be really well done. There is no ongoing story or continuum to maintain. But I also expect some of the more creative elements of comic book writing and art in these stories since they are not the regular ongoing stories. So when Marvel Divas came out, I decided to pick it up. After all, its only 4 issues. And though not a hugely groundbreaking story, I think I do see where Marvel was going with this series.

Marvel Divas is the story of four of the lesser known female heroes from the Marvel universe, Hellcat, Ms. Marvel, Black Cat and Firestar. These four get together regularly for dinner and drinks and gossip about their boyfriends, shopping, other heroes and the like. It is very much like Sex in the City. But the end of the first issue is where the major drama is announced for the series. It turns out that Firestar has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The three other members of the group then throw their full support behind Firestar and her upcoming battle.

There are side stories with each of the characters. Ms. Marvel is having an on again/off again relationship with Brother Voodoo. Black Cat is trying to open up a detective agency without the help of her boyfriend. And Hellcat is being propositioned by her former boyfriend Son of Satan to help out with Firestars treatment. But with any favor from anyone from Hell, there are always conditions.

I found this story to be very interesting and different than most of the Marvel recent stories. There is absolutely no big tie in to the Marvel Universe altering stories like Dark Reign and War of Kings. And though they did do a very good story a long time ago on the Death of Captain Marvel (1982) where he gets cancer and all the Marvel uber-brains can not find a cure for him, there is no magical Marvel cure for Firestar either. Firestar must go through normal treatment like any normal person would. But I am glad to see that, unlike the Death of Captain Marvel story, this story is primarily of hope and survival. Cancer research and treatment has changed since 1982 and I believe the tone of the story reflects the advancement in medicine since then.

The artwork it interesting. It is not very "marvel" in its style. There is no dynamic poses or dramatic angles to heighten the action. With no real battles or fights, there isn't any reason to have the hugely kinetic pages other superhero comics have. Rather it is very subdued style. The figures are more angular and simple than the covers. The colors are muted and the backgrounds simple.

When this series gets collected into a trade paperback, libraries should consider picking this up. Though its getting better, there is still less girl oriented superhero comics available, and this one is different than the regular fare. With the plot focused on a character with cancer and the fact that it stands alone away from the ongoing stories from the Marvel Universe, I think that would make it a little more accessible to people picking this up without any real background knowledge.

Comics for the week of September 30, 2009

Fables 88
Dark Reign: The List - Daredevil 1
Thor 603
Echo 15
Teen Titans 75
Fantastic Four 571
Jack of Fables 38
Gotham City Sirens 4
Nova 29
Justice League of America 37
Thor Annual 1

Ladies in the Comics

I don't know why, but I've been picking up many comics with women as the main character. Usually its because of some creator I really like.

It started with Wonder Woman, which was drawn by Terry Dodson. He has long since left doing this book but I still keep getting it because of the great writing if Gail Simone.

Next was a book from the Vertigo line called Madam Xanadu. However, it wasn't the artist this time but the writer. Matt Wagner, who wrote Mage and Grendel is revitalizing this very minor character from the DC Universe. And the latest story arc has the art of Michael William Kaluta, who has been a favorite of mine since Startruck in 1985.

For the pure fun of it, I've been getting Power Girl. Primarily because of the artwork of Amanda Connor. With all the jokes about Power Girls physical attributes along with some good action and funny writing, this campy book is really entertaining.

For a darker comic, Detective Comics is now highlighting Batwoman. All the bat books are up in the air because Bruce Wayne is presumed dead and all the other characters are taking over. And with a new creative team, I'm finding that the artwork of J.H. Williams III is something really special.

And finally, this last week I grabbed issue 1 of Spider-Woman. This is created by the team of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev who did a great job on Daredevil a couple years ago. This moody and atmospheric book will be one I'll be picking up each month.

So I don't know if more books are being published that have female characters, or the creators I'm interested in are doing more books with women, but I am really enjoying these books and will continue to get them.

Comics for the week of September 23, 2009

Detective Comics 857
Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant-Size 1
Uncanny X-Men 515
Wolverine Origins 40
Immortal Weapons 3
Madame Xanadu 15
Power Girl 5
No Hero 7
Spider Woman 1
Guardians of the Galaxy 18

Review - Mahoromatic - Full Metal Maid Collection

Review - Mahoromatic - Full Metal Maid Collection
Sentai Filmworks
700 Minutes

With the anime DVD producers here imploding here in North America, I've been picking up some of the older shows that are being re-released. And recently I grabbed the complete reissue of Mahoromatic. Originally released by Geneon in 2002, Sentai Filmworks (formerly ADV) has released the 2 seasons and 1 OVA in a single package.

This show starts off with Mahoro, the most advanced battle robot used by Vesper, being decommissioned. Her remaining operating time is limited and she is asked what she would like to do for here remaining time. Next we meet Misato, a junior high boy who is living by himself after his parents have died. He is looking for a maid and after being rescued by Mahoro from a busjacking, she is hired on a trial basis. From this point, the typical harem show ensues. There are the three female classmates who have a crush on Misato. And there is the busty, horny teacher who constantly pines away for and hits on Misato throughout the series. But there is also the added plot developments concerning Misato's parents and how he is related to Vesper and Mahoro. And once all the characters are in place and the story progresses, the usual anime practice of putting them in the typical Japanese year appears is used for the episodes. There is the school festival, the Christmas/New Years parties, the trip to the beach for Golden Week, and of course, the hot springs episode. Intrigue builds as factions fight behind the scenes for the Earth and its inhabitants while Mahoro's life span dwindles away. We are reminded at the end of each episode how many days are left in her service.

I found this show to be pretty standard as far as these types of stories. Gainax produced this show and their work is always worth a look. The style is clean and the animation is above par. There is many instances of gratuitous fan service. Mahoro is on a constant search for Misato's porn stash of dirty magazines. The teacher, if in real life, would be a headline on the Smoking Gun web site with her advances on Misato. And of course, the talk the girls have about breast size is a running gag throughout the show. For this reason, I would warn libraries about this title. It is rated age 17+ and with good reason. There is very little blood (except for an occasional nosebleed) and less swearing. But the nudity would be a red flag for sensitive viewers wanting to watch this.

Comics for the week of September 16, 2009

Batman and Robin 4
Dark Wolverine 78
The Marvels Project 2
Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth 3
Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus 1
Mighty Avengers 29
Dominic Fortune 2
Batgirl 2
Spin Angels 1

Review - X-Men Misfits 1

Review - X-Men Misfits 1
Written by Raina Telgemeier and Dave Roman
Illustrated by Anzu
Del Rey Manga

I'm not sure how the relationship came about, but Del Rey is repackaging Marvel characters into a manga style book. They did it for Wolverine book a couple month ago. And they have done another retelling, this time of Kitty Pryde and her first year at the Xavier Academy.

The story and personalities of the characters are completely different than the actual Marvel Universe. The book tells the story of Kitty Pride being recruited by Magneto, who is a professor at the academy. Once she shows up in Westchester, where the school is located, she is informed that she is the only female student. (Storm and Jean Grey are professors) So Kitty then becomes the center of attention by all the shonen-ai style male students and is very quickly compelled to join the Hellfire Club. This club is the on campus A list, popular students. Kitty also strikes up a romance with Hellfire Club member John (Pyro), but she finds herself being intrigued by the cold and aloof Bobby (Iceman).

There are side stories and characterizations that make this fun for X-Men readers. Fred (The Blob) is a nice, gentle guy who hangs out with Scott (Cyclops) who is an angry vegan. Warren (Angel) is the head of the Hellfire Club along with members Forge, Quicksilver, Longshot and Havoc. And while eating lunch in their special dining room, their servant Sabertooth is bringing them their food. This book is filled with little inside winks and nods that fans would find fun to chuckle at.

The artwork is very good for its recreation of the manga style. Characters go chibi at the appropriate times. The typical visual queues are present and anyone who has read any shojo books would know exactly whats happening. One fun think is where Kitty, when she goes chibi, has cat ears and a tale. I'm currently working my way through Fruits Basket and this X-Men book uses the same style where a simple icon at times represents the character.

This book will reside in the teen area with the other manga books. It has been rated for ages 13+, but there is nothing too objectionable in here. There is the romance story and some mutant destructive hijinks, but nothing I don't think even the most sensitive parent would object to. I just hope that I remember to pick up the next volumes when the come out.

Review - Chew 1-4

Review - Chew 1-4
Written by John Layman
Art by Rob Guillory
Image Comics

From what you read by the creators of this book, they never thought their comic book would be popular at all. It has no superheroes and has a bizzare premise, especially for a detective story. But only after a couple months, demand for the first issue was so high, it is on its fourth printing.

Chew is about a detective named Tony Chu who is a cibopathic. What that means is he is able to sense everything that the food has undergone prior to his eating it. And he lives in a world where the US Government has outlawed the possession, transportation and consumption of chicken due to concerns about the bird flu. The first issue starts where Tony and his partner are undercover to bust chicken speakeasy, and while tasting the soup Tony senses the memories of a cook (who accidentally cut his finger while preparing the meal) who happens to be a serial killer. He knows the killer/cooks name, and the names and location of his victims. By the end of the first issue, Tony has been fired from the local police department and hired by the FDA, which is now a law enforcement agency protecting America from chicken.

If you think of comic books like television shows, there are only a handful of types on at a time. You can watch a crime show, a doctor show, or a reality show. There isn't too much else on. But occasionally something new comes on that takes people by surprise. Chew is like that. Who would of thought that a detective comic where the main character has to eat a part of the victim and protect us from chicken would be such a hit. But I think that it's so different comic readers flocked to it.

Looking at this comic at face value, it's really grotesque. Cannibalism can be funny is done right. And with the way John Layman writes the story, you can tell he's having a ball pushing the limits of good taste. Also the art by Rob Guillory is the most rubbery I've seen in a long time. Like Layman, you can see he's having a ball drawing this book with his figures bending a contorting and his hyper use of foreshortening.

I'm waiting for this book to come out in a trade so I can get it for the library. There is some harsh language, but nothing teens haven't read before. So other than the eating of various body parts, every public library should think about getting this for their collection.

Review - Asterios Polyp

Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
Pantheon Graphic Novels

Very occasionally, I read a graphic novel or comic series and think that it might almost be literary in its scope. It's kind of like reading a Joan Didion over Nora Roberts. The monthly comics that come out are quick fun reads, but they are like the schlock fiction that gets released all the time. Other authors take years to complete their works and once they come out, the craft of the work is evident on every page. David Mazzucchelli has created a book that falls into this latter class.

Mazzucchelli is known to me with his artwork on Batman: Year One and Daredevil, written by Frank Miller. But I haven't seen his name much since then. But I was intrigued by advanced press that I was reading about this book and picked it up for myself.

The story is about an architecture professor from Ithaca College named Asterios Polyp, who has won several awards but has never had any of his designs built. The story start with him sitting alone in his apartment. Then a lightning bolt strikes setting his home ablaze. Grabbing a couple items, he then leaves his burning past ending up somewhere in the midwest. Working and living with an eccentric, loving family, Asterios remembers back on his life. He was not perfect. In fact, we was a self centered, egotistical, blowhard. Dealing with subjects like middle age, divorce, self discovery and fulfilment, this book is far more than just what most people would consider a "comic book".

David Mazzucchelli is known as an artist and it is evident in this work. The style is not like most comic books. The style is fluid depending on what the story is trying to say. Sometimes it is very representational while other times he goes into a more surreal tone. But the art always serves the story, and thankfully doesn't read like a movie storyboard. But like good graphic novels, the art expands on the story far more than more prose would add.

This book should be in most libraries and brought out when an adventurous adult comes up and asks for something different to read. Teens would not appreciate or understand most of the themes, so I wouldn't catalog in the YA area. But it's also a shame that most libraries put in the nonfiction collection. Books like this deserve to be placed in a (as yet) mythical collection, adult graphic fiction.

Comics for the week of September 2, 2009

Irredeemable 6
Immortal Weapons 2
Batman 690
Hotwire 4
Deadpool 15
Chew 2
Chew 4
Scourge of the Gods: The Fall 3
North 40 3